Hello from the author of Princess Demelza!

I meant to write to you earlier but I was annoyed that you didn't give
Demelza a bit more of a go and I was annoyed that you gave away your
registered copy. Anyway I thought I would address a few of your points in
your letter:

1. Monster densities - Believe it or not the actual densities per map
where exactly the same as in ROK. I even went to the trouble of getting the
exact densities from Gabe & Jason. The only maps that have new monster
densities are the additional 6 or so maps not in ROK. I don't know whether
or not you realize, but the actual appearance of monsters them selves is
entirely random based on the density formulas per map, and, as per New
Treleon in ROK there are deliberately no monsters in Darion Grove.
2. Trees everywhere - There was method in the madness here as well. I
did not want players to just blindly hold their up arrow down and cruise
down to the other end of the map and back for either character recharging or
to get somewhere unrealistically quickly. When you are in a forest you need
to look around and explore thoroughly. (Many forum questions are asked
because of impatient playing techniques.) Also Darion Grove has many
scattered trees because it is a "Grove". A little village built around its
trees. I wanted Darion Grove to be different to New Treleon which is
obviously a fortified enclave.
3. The Inns where closed at specific stages in the puzzle for a reason
and it was not to create an additional puzzle! Because I had planned Demelza
meticulously, as you would have found out had you got to the Easter Egg
Level, I closed the Inns very often dependant on who was in your party at
the time. In other words if some one important like Demelza needed to stay
with your party until a certain point in the adventure I would not let you
drop her off at an Inn. Or likewise, if you are carrying a part of the
Dragon Bane sword that needs to be delivered somewhere I would not let you
drop the item or drop any characters off at Inn that could be carrying such
an important item. You would have found had you played on, that once the
critical person or item was no longer with or in your party that the Inns
would be opened again! (For designers - this was controlled by global
states.)

Unfortunately neither ROK or Demelza can stop you from dropping off a
character that is carrying an important key for example but I also do where
possible try & inhibit this by not letting you out of a dungeon or map quite
often when you are holding an important key or item critical to the
continuing operation of the puzzle.

I think like you said in your email, you are suffering a little DBII
fatigue. But like all of us, after a few months break, it is always fun to
try and 'run the gauntlet' again. I only wish a couple more adventures would
be published soon...

Regards,

Simon Jacobs
Princess Demelza Author



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